Jersey Giant lovers

[WI chickens]

I want to breed an Orloff rooster to some Jersey Giants and see if I can create some really large birds without large combs. Orloffs are pretty big birds already, and they have basically no comb. Birds with tiny combs and large size should do really well in our very cold winters.

 

[CrspyChkn]

That seems like a good idea. Jersey Giants are considered cold hardy other than their combs and waddles. I would like to hear about that if you do end up doing it.

 

[AprilWC]

A quick search of Google pulled this comparison of a hatchery (white) Giant compared to a breeder's black Jersey Giant:

I'll have to see if I can find a picture of the hatchery cockerel we had. Looking back, he was larger than our other hatchery birds but not nearly as big as the cockerel I just posted.

 

[AGeese]

It snowed a few days to a week ago and I have not gotten an egg since.

Yeah between 6 birds I'm only getting about 2 a day now.

These pictures are impressive. Almost makes me want to get some. Just for the size of the breed.

Mine are bullies so just consider that could be an issue if you have smaller chickens.

Yes, Jersey Giants are the largest breed of chicken. They are the second tallest. The hens grow to about 8-10 pounds on average while the roosters grow 10-13 pounds. When caponized they can grow to 20 pounds. Here is a Jersey Giant next to a Rhode Island Red:
View attachment 3353768
and one next to a turkey:

The turkey picture is from BYC, and the Rhode Island Red picture I took from Pinterest. I believe it is originally from a poultry breeds book that I don't remember what it is called.

I had no idea about caponizing, that's crazy. Who has a 20 pounder?

That is the reason why I got them too, and it seems that they have much more personality than my other girls. They are also more aware of predators. They enjoy being outside more than the others, will actively hunt mice unlike the others, and can respect a boundary if requested to stay. I personally have blue ones, because they are pretty in my opinion and Tractor Supply had no black ones. We were planning on getting 5 of both. I think I read somewhere that the black ones tend to be slightly larger than the blue and white ones, but I have no evidence to prove that.

Mine grabbed a baby mouse, but I didn't see if it caught it or if it were already dead. They're my top birds, very hardy free rangers.

 

[CrspyChkn]

Yeah between 6 birds I'm only getting about 2 a day now.


Mine are bullies so just consider that could be an issue if you have smaller chickens.


I had no idea about caponizing, that's crazy. Who has a 20 pounder?

Mine grabbed a baby mouse, but I didn't see if it caught it or if it were already dead. They're my top birds, very hardy free rangers.

I forgot to mention that I read the 20 pound when caponized in a book. It was either Storeys Guide to Poultry Breeds or The Chicken Encyclopedia. Mine are not bullies, they get picked on by the chickens half their size. Surprisingly their feathers still look perfect. Mine are also very hardy rangers.

 

[AGeese]

That's the temperament they had as chicks when my Buckeyes were trying to wrestle with them. They'd stand up tall like penguins, but wouldn't fight back. The tables are turned now unfortunately for the Buckeyes.

 

[AprilWC]

I haven't found mine to be bullies either. Of course my flock consists of mostly Jersey Giants with 3 Sussex.

My Giants are excellent foragers and range over about 2 acres during the day. With age, they have become much more predator aware. Of course, I think mine are so large now that only a dog or coyote would try them.

 

[Tonyroo]

I like the thought there similar size to a turkey.

 

[AGeese]

They were supposedly bred in attempt to replace the Turkey. They've got a long way to go and I don't see the point of it.

 

[Tonyroo]

Larger size birds have a chance at defending there attacker. Instead of the getting picked up easily.